Arrivals and departures at Mansfield Town as Stephen Quinn joins on loan and Alistair Smith leaves for Altrincham

Credit: Mansfield Town FC

The January transfer window is upon us and we finally have some transfer activity in Nigel Clough’s first window since joining the club.

Stephen Quinn has signed on loan until the end of the season from Burton Albion and Alistair Smith has left the Stags for Altrincham after six years at the club.

Starting with Quinn, he is an experienced midfielder who at the age of 34 will most definitely show his leadership skills and guide the younger lads in the Mansfield Town squad in the right direction.

The Republic of Ireland international started his professional career at St Patrick’s Athletic before making the switch over to Yorkshire with Sheffield United.

He spent seven years with the Blades, making over 200 appearances for them in this spell, notching 22 goals and grabbing 38 assists.

He went on two brief loan spells at the start of his career with the club, dropping to League One with Rotherham United and MK Dons with the midfielder going on to make 31 appearances altogether and getting two assists as he looked to gain valuable minutes and experience.

The best year of his career to date came in 2011/12. Sheffield United narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship that season as they were beaten in the play-off final 8-7 on penalties to Huddersfield Town, but the then 26-year-old made a name for himself getting four goals and 12 assists for the club that season.

This earned him a move to the Championship with Hull City the following season. He featured 42 times in the league that campaign as the Tigers were promoted to the Premier League.

He was out on the sidelines for most of that season as he battled with a hamstring injury which only allowed him to make 15 Premier League appearances.

The following season, he featured 29 times in all competitions but Hull were relegated after finishing 18th that season, four points away from safety.

This saw Quinn move away from the club as he departed for Reading. 45 appearances, two goals and five assists later he would be on the move again. Burton Albion, with Nigel Clough as the manager at the time, signed the midfielder as he was frozen out of the Royals’ squad.

He has made over 100 appearances for the Brewers in his three-year spell at the club so far and Clough has worked with Quinn before, so it will a familiar face for the Stags manager and will bring experience in midfield.

Alistair Smith departs the Stags for Altrincham after six years at the club

The midfielder joined the National League outfit in November on an initial loan but has decided to make the move permanent as he searches for more game time which he is getting at the Robins.

Smith was promoted into the first team during the 2018/19 campaign. His professional debut for the club came in the EFL Trophy match against Scunthorpe United in November 2018 in which the Stags won 3-2 and he completed the full 90 minutes.

The 21-year-old made 16 appearances in total for Mansfield in the first-team and had two loan spells away from the club in trying to get more game time as he wasn’t able to secure it in the Stags’ first team.

So far this season, since moving on loan to Altrincham he has made 11 appearances, equalling the most appearances in one season for the 21-year-old.

The move has suited the midfielder as he is starting most games and is completing the full 90 minutes which is important for a young talent such as himself.

In the event of a prospective transfer, Mansfield will expect future incentives if a lucrative offer does come in for the youngster whilst he continues playing his football at National League level for the Robins.

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